The New Golden Age of Cigars
Despite the draconian smoking bans imposed across Europe over the past two decades, cigar smoking has not merely survived — it has flourished. In fact, the restrictions may have made cigars more alluring than ever.
In London, the 2007 public smoking ban sparked a quiet revolution. Hotels, clubs, and restaurants scrambled to create stylish outdoor terraces where guests could legally light up a Hoyo de Monterrey or a slim Henri Wintermans. These havens of leather chairs, glowing heaters and whisky carts are now part of the capital’s nightlife fabric. Cigars were always associated with glamour — but the ban, paradoxically, gave them a new mystique.
A Democratic Indulgence
What makes this revival fascinating is its universal appeal. The new vogue for cigar smoking cuts across class, nationality, politics, and gender. Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez, and Heidi Klum have all been photographed mid-puff. Mary Churchill, Winston’s daughter, was still enjoying a post-dinner cigar at 89. Politicians and racehorse trainers alike swear allegiance to their favourite brands — George Galloway once raised a Partagás in a Churchillian salute, while Newmarket’s Sir Mark Prescott is unapologetic: “Partagás — and as many as possible.”
What unites them is not background but pleasure. Cigars have become less about exclusivity and more about shared ritual — a social act that connects as much as it indulges.
Festivals of Smoke
Nowhere is this camaraderie more visible than at cigar festivals. The Spectator’s annual cigar dinner in London is one such gathering. But my own education took me further afield, to Tallinn, Estonia, for the inaugural Nordic BigSmoke — billed as a 48-hour marathon for cigar lovers.
Its founder, Jan Vistisen, a Danish aficionado who claims to have smoked more than 25,000 cigars in 25 years, embodies the modern cigar devotee. His passion took him from smoking lounges to owning a plantation in Panama and reviving Denmark’s cigar industry with his Royal Danish label.
The BigSmoke Experience
The event begins at the Davidoff Cigar House in Tallinn’s main square, where Jan presses a pair of his own cigars into my pocket with a smile. Around me, aficionados from across Europe mingle: Marco and Toni from Croatia, who launched the Cigar World Championship in Split, dream of uniting smokers “in peace, friendship, and fun.”
And if you imagine these events as male preserves, think again. A striking number of women from Russia and the Baltic States attend. Marco grins: “There is nothing sexier than a beautiful woman smoking a cigar.” As if on cue, a tall brunette in black silk strikes a match and lights a Macanudo.
Competitions of Fire and Ash
Cigar culture loves its rituals, but also its games. At a gala dinner on the marina, guests are challenged to keep a Montecristo No. 4 alight using only three matches. The prize: a Royal Danish humidor crowned in 24K gold and filled with Swarovski-encrusted King of Denmark cigars.
Later, on Saaremaa island during midsummer’s White Nights, the contest shifts to the longest ash. I manage a modest three centimetres before a clumsy dance move costs me British honour. Igor from St Petersburg, reigning champion, effortlessly reaches 10.5cm.
The final day sees us rolling our own cigars under the guidance of Jan’s Panamanian wife. It’s harder than it looks — though some, like Toni, reveal hidden talent.
More Than Smoke
By the end, I’m struck by the atmosphere: warmth, humour, and shared hedonism. These are not just smokers, but a community. Whether in London terraces or Estonian marinas, cigars bring together people who might otherwise have little in common.
I leave Tallinn convinced of one thing: if more of us took time to pause, light up, and embrace the unhurried pleasure of a well-rolled cigar, the world might indeed be a better place. Until the next Big Smoke.